The document discusses social mobility, which refers to the movement of individuals within a social structure to different social statuses or positions. There are two types of social mobility: vertical mobility involves movement between higher and lower social statuses, while horizontal mobility involves changes within the same social status level. Some examples of vertical mobility are promotion to a higher position or demotion to a lower position. Horizontal mobility includes changes like switching occupations but maintaining similar conditions and prestige. Factors that can influence social mobility include economic conditions, education levels, intelligence, the structure of society, and demographic characteristics.

1. Sociology
Social Mobility
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Dr.S.Janaki
Department of Education
SASTRA Deemed University

2. • Social Mobility
It is a phenomena, which involves the
transformation in the social status of an
individual or a group. It is the movement of an
individual in a social structure. Every
individual may rise up or lower his status in
the social set up according to his efforts. This
change in social status is called social mobility.

3. • “By social mobility is meant any transition of
an individual from one position to another in a
constellation of social group and strata.”
• “Social mobility is change in social position,
such as occupational changes where person
moves up or down the occupational scale or
election to office whereby a follower becomes
a leader, or vice versa.”

4. • According to Sorokin, “social mobility is either
horizontal or vertical. Horizontal mobility is
the process of making changes on the same
status level, while vertical mobility is the
process of changing from one status to
another, either to a higher or lower level.”

5. Types of Social Mobility:
Vertical Mobility:
• It refers to achievement of higher status and
prestige by an individual or a group of lower
status and in the same manner degradation of
an individual or group from higher status or
prestige to lower status.

6. • Ascending Mobility: it refers to the movement from
lower to higher position. It means the entry of
persons from lower strata and prestige to higher
status and prestige groups. Ex: promotion of a clerk
to an officer, of a lecture to readership or
professorship and elevation of are examples of
ascending mobility.
• Descending Mobility: It means descending or going
down of a person from higher position prestige and
status to lower ones. Occurring in government and
private services, it is generally the outcome of some
sort of inefficiency or acts of criminal tendencies.
Demotion of a minister to the status of voter is an
example of descending mobility

7. Horizontal Mobility:
It is a transformation of individual in the group
or sections of same status. In a society, while
some groups of persons have similar status,
some are placed in lower or higher strata in a
society. In horizontal social mobility, the
position of an individual may change, but his
salary, grade, prestige and other privileges
remain the same

8. • Occupational Mobility: This change from one
occupation to another of the similar nature,
conditions and circumstances. Occupational
mobility is non-existent in closed societies
because of rigid restrictions and limitations.
• Territorial Mobility: Leaving a particular territory
by a group of people and enter into another
territory is called territorial mobility.i.e groups of
villagers, seasonally migrate to towns for better
living conditions. Territorial mobility is more
frequent in towns, government services,
industrial services in men and young persons.

9. • International Mobility: Encouraged by better
prospects, more affluence and better living
conditions. Many persons migrate from
underdeveloped countries to developed and
progressive countries.
• Inter-religious Mobility: it is a change from
one religious faith to another or conversion
from one religion to another. It generally
occurs during compulsions of force and lack of
moral character.

10. Factors affecting Social Mobility:
• Economic Personality:
• Structure of Society:
• Level of Aspiration and Achievement
• Education:
• Occupational prestige
• Administration:
• Demographic Structure
• Intelligence factor